Designed with Northern Ghana’s emerging art scene in mind, the Timeless Threads Gallery in Nyeshie, Tamale, is a space for art, culture, and community to converge. It offers a platform for artists and creatives to exhibit their work, share poetry, and engage with the public. This project is not only about showcasing art; it is also about building a space for dialogue, storytelling, and shared experiences—a cultural hub that strengthens local and regional creative identity.

The space allows for dynamic exhibitions across two unique galleries—an A-frame structure and a large underground space with a curved ceiling, seamlessly integrated into the landscape to offer a more immersive, intimate experience. The design embraces sustainability and climate responsiveness, drawing inspiration from vernacular Northern Ghanaian architecture. Beyond the exhibition areas, the sunken terraced seating acts as a public forum, where locals can gather, relax, and engage through organic conversations, live performances, and even Dagbani spoken word performances. The rectangular shape of the plan aids in airflow in particularly warmer climates and it is a subtle nod to the shotgun house typology which was connected to working-class African American families in the Southern parts of the United States. It represents the bridging of cultural divides through architecture.

The Timeless Threads Gallery maximizes passive design through solar orientation, natural ventilation, thermal
mass, and shading. The north-facing A-frame glazing (large double-glazed windows) optimizes daylight while
minimizing heat gain. The rammed earth walls (thermal mass) store and slowly release heat, reducing
temperature fluctuations. The sunken terraced seating and shaded areas enhance airflow and cooling. Cross
ventilation via east-west openings reduces reliance on mechanical systems, ensuring a comfortable, low-energy
interior climate. The Timeless Threads Gallery was shaped through community engagement, incorporating input from local
artists, cultural leaders, and residents. The design respects traditional Northern Ghanaian architecture while
integrating contemporary needs. Workshops with artists and poets helped shape exhibition spaces, ensuring
functionality. The sunken terraced seating fosters organic public dialogue, while local artisans contributed to
material selection, reinforcing community ownership. By embracing a bottom-up design approach, the gallery
becomes an authentic extension of Tamale’s creative and social fabric.

With my ardent belief that architecture can and must inspire, the Timeless Threads Gallery is more than a building, it is a vision for architectural excellence in rural parts of Africa, setting a precedent for culturally rooted, yet forward-thinking spaces that empower artists and communities alike.